


Tsunami of Good Will

by junko



Series: Chasing Demons [33]
Category: Bleach
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-15
Updated: 2013-01-15
Packaged: 2017-11-25 15:52:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/640507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/junko/pseuds/junko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Renji is swept up in Captain's Kyouraku's good natured humor, but will it spin him out of control...?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tsunami of Good Will

Renji felt like he was being swept along in a tsunami of boisterous good humor, as he followed Captain Kyōraku to the Thirteenth Division. Kyōraku burst into Ukitake’s Ugendō Quarters, with a happy call of: “Jūshirō! A stray followed me home! If I promise to take care of him, can I keep him?!”

From another room, Ukitake replied with a measured, considering tone, “Depends. Will this one leave his socks wadded up in the bottom of my bed? Because, frankly, for someone who never wears tabi, I certainly find yours everywhere—“

Whatever else Ukitake had intended to say trailed off when he stepped into the room. Ukitake was dressed for the evening in a simple, but elegant green kimono that managed to nearly perfectly match the color of his eyes. He looked somewhat startled to see Renji at his doorstep, and then an embarrassed grin broke out on his face as he rubbed the back of his neck, “Oh, Lieutenant Abarai, my sincere apologies! I didn’t mean to—literally-air our dirty laundry in front of a guest. I’m afraid that despite all this time, I’m never quite sure when Shunsui’s being serious.”

“It’s fine, sir. Don’t worry about it,” Renji said. “But, if socks are an issue, you can’t keep me; I’ve lost more than I can count.”

“Ha, yes, well… do come in,” Ukitake said sincerely.

Removing his hat, Kyōraku settled into a corner of the room filled with za-button pillows like he lived there, which Renji was beginning to suspect he did, at least part of the time. Kyōraku sat with his shoulder resting against the wall. On his upraised knee, he balanced his hat.

Despite the cool, wet air, a shoji screen door was open to a wide wooden porch that stretched out into a large lake. The day’s previous rain had brought out a flock of common moorhens that drifted lazily among the lily pads and lotus blossoms. The birds’ dark bodies and bright red face-shields were a splash of color among the muted greens and gray of the remains of the blustery day. Sounds of their calls and the croaking of frogs were like pleasant background music.

When Ukitake settled down cross-legged, Renji tried to find a good space for himself where he wouldn’t knock into any of the bookshelves or tip over any of the delicate -looking chests or low tables scattered artfully around open room. He still managed to almost put an elbow into an ikebana vase. Ukitake only smiled kindly at him as he carefully righted it.

“But, what’s the meaning of this,” Ukitake was asking Kyōraku, “Have you stolen the boy from his lover’s bower? Am I an accomplice to kidnapping?”

“Yes, indeed,” Kyōraku laughed, his hand absently playing with the hat on his knee. “I intend to hold Mr. Renji hostage until Mr. Byakuya will either put up the ransom of a lifetime supply of that divine jizake he served us last night... though I might be willing to consent to releasing the boy if Mr. Byakuya would agree to join us for an evening of pleasantries.”

Renji snorted, “Good luck with that.”

“You don’t believe you’re even worth an hour or two of his time?” Kyōraku sounded genuinely concerned.

With a wry smile, Renji explained, “No, it’s more that Captain Kuchiki isn’t the sort to give into demands. Ever. If this were for real, he’d expect me to fight my way back to him on my own, or die trying.”

Ukitake and Kyōraku exchanged a glance. Then Kyōraku burst out laughing and reached over to give Renji a playful pat on the back, “Ah, and just like that, all my devious plans are dashed! But, come now, Mr. Renji. You can call him Byakuya with us. He’s not even here to scold you, for heaven’s sake, and it’s not like we don’t understand the full extent of your relationship. We have lovely flowers to show for that, don’t we?”

“Oh, yes, and thank you very much,” Ukitake said brightly. “How did you know irises were a favorite of mine?”

“I didn’t, sir,” Renji said with a little embarrassed tug on his ear. “I went through proper channels. Your Thirds told mine.”

“Oh, well no mind,” Ukitake said, though he sounded a touch disappointed. After a moment he smiled again, “They’re lovely, and honestly, I did nothing to deserve such an outpouring of gratitude.”

“Now, now, let the young man be the judge of that,” Kyōraku said in a fondly admonishing tone. “Clearly, my dear, whatever you said produced an outcome that was terribly important to Mr. Renji.” Kyōraku sat up and turned to Renji then, “So, what was it? What miracle did Shirō evoke?”

They both turned to regard Renji then. The intense scrutiny of two captains made the color drain from Renji’s face. They didn’t really expect him to talk about the details of his sex life, did they? And what was he really going to say, ‘Thanks for making Byakuya think to untie me this time’? Instead, he found his eyes dropping to his lap and his fingers fiddling with the ties of his obi like a schoolboy. “Uh….”

“Come now, spill!” Kyōraku admonished jovially. “You owe us some little tidbit, a clue! Besides, there’s nothing you could say that would shock us—we’re a hundred times your age, at least. We’ve tried it all, trust me.”

From one of the nearby chests, Ukitake brought out a bottle and several bowls. He arranged the dishes in front of him and opened the bottle. As he poured a little into each, he said, “If the lieutenant wants to keep his secrets, we should let him. We should be happy enough to know we made a difference for them both. Besides, clearly, it’s a private thing.”

“Well, if it’s so damn private, he shouldn’t send flowers by courier, now should he?” Kyōraku said with mock grumpiness as he accepted the bowl Ukitake offered.

“Tsk, I won’t let you bully him,” Ukitake said. Turning he offered a bowl to Renji, “Even if he did invite our curiosity with his grand gesture.”

Renji accepted the sake with both hands and a little bow. It was clear he would have to say something or look like a total cad, “Look, sirs, he’d kill me if I told you details, but… well, it was just… noticeable how he was trying to be considerate all of a sudden.”

There was a moment of silence. Then Kyōraku took a long, thoughtful sip of his sake and asked, “Mr. Byakuya isn’t normally a considerate lover?”

To avoid answering right away, Renji sipped the sake. He looked at it in surprise, not having expected such a tangy sweetness. It was like drinking a fruity honey wine with a sort of spicy aftertaste. “Whoa, what is this?”

“Shirō is fond of sweets, so I always get him a bottle or two of Shiboritate sake from my family’s label,” Kyōraku said. “It’s good isn’t it?”

Renji nodded enthusiastically. “I’ve never had anything like it.”

“It’s hideously expensive,” Ukitake said with a little shake of his head, as if he thought it too much. He glanced at label for a long time before setting the bottle aside, “An extravagant gift.”

“Nothing is too much for you, my dear,” Kyōraku said, leaning over to place a light peck on Ukitake’s cheek. “Besides, it’s more a gift from my brother. Katsume is incredibly grateful I chose a reasonable, upstanding life partner. He would buy you the moon, if you asked for it.”

Ukitake just smiled modestly in response.

Kyōraku resettled a little closer to Ukitake. He sat tailor-fashion in front of the open screen, putting his hat in his lap. Renji would be disappointed that his view of the lake was suddenly blocked, but the sky was turning dark. Swallows had replaced the water fowl, and they zipped through the evening air chasing mosquitoes. The frogs now took up the largest part in the chorus.

Flipping back the long curl that hung in front of his face aside, Kyōraku continued, “But you’ve left us on a cliffhanger, Mr. Renji. Are you suggesting Mr. Byakuya isn’t… attentive?”

Maybe it was the potency of the sake or Kyōraku’s genuine concern, but Renji found himself letting out a dark chuckle, “Yeah, no. Not always with me, anyway. But, I don’t know.... What can you expect from a guy?”

“A lot, actually,” Ukitake said, with a glance at Kyōraku. He swirled the sake in his bowl, his dark eyebrows pulled into a thoughtful frown. “Though, I may just be extraordinarily lucky. A lot of people say that two men together are twice the usual problems.” 

“Tsk,” Kyōraku clucked his tongue. “Even unromantic men can be considerate lovers.”

“And some are thoughtless and selfish, only after a quick roll in the hay,” Ukitake pointed out. “I have to say, however, I wouldn’t have expected our Byakuya to be one of those.”

“No, _you’d_ expect Mr. Renji to be one of those,” Kyōraku said with a light poke into Ukitake’s thigh that was tempered by a loving, kind smile. His eyes caught Renji’s as he added, “Perhaps that’s Mr. Byakuya’s assumption, too?”

Renji shrugged, disappointed to find that at some point he’d finished the sake in his bowl. “That’s kind of what I always figured. And, you know, it’s kind of true; I am that guy. I don’t exactly require a lot of courting, if you know what I’m saying.”

Ukitake reached out the bottle, and Renji gratefully offered his bowl. “Yes, but courting is nice. He did at least take you to the Hanami. Surely, there have been other moments?”

“Yeah, of course,” Renji said with a big smile at the memory of their birthday adventures. “He’s kind of fun on a proper date. Surprising, too.”

“Oh, do tell!” Kyōraku encouraged.

Renji took another sip of the fine sake. Gods, it was good, and so damn smooth. He wasn’t even sure how much he’d already had, and he could easily see polishing off the bottle it was just that tasty. Even though Renji figured it might already be too late on some level, he would have to watch himself. This stuff was deceptive. To make a conscious effort to slow down, Renji set the bowl on the floor in front of him before saying, “I thought he’d be a lot more freaked out by the gay bar, honestly. He not only totally rolled with the drag show, but he danced with me.”

Ukitake seemed to choke on his sake. After recovering from a small coughing fit, he said, “In public?”

Renji shook his head, “Well, it wasn’t like we were in the middle of the Seireitei or even off in some Rukongai dive. This was in the Human World, and, even though Urahara and Yoruichi probably spied on us, it wasn’t like anyone from around here was going to really see him.” Renji caught Ukitake’s gaze and held it. “I still didn’t think he’d do it. I figured he’d sit in a corner and sulk all night, but it was my birthday and I wanted to dance.”

“And he obliged. That’s lovely,” Kyōraku said, as he rubbed Ukitake’s back. “Ah what I wouldn’t have paid to be a fly on the wall though, eh? Is our Mr. Byakuya a good dancer? Does he boogie or whatever the kids call it now?”

“I don’t think people have boogied for a while, dear,” Ukitake murmured taking another careful sip of his sake. “I’m sure that went out like the fox trot and jitterbugging.”

Renji laughed lightly. “No, he doesn’t dance like any of that. We waltzed.”

Kyōraku scratched his chin. “This sounds like a marvelous place. They have waltzes and drag shows? You’ll have to give me the name of this club!”

“Yeah, sure,” Renji said, not wanting to get into the whole long story of how Byakuya had waltzed with him despite the club music, not because of it. “I’m kind of excited to go back there again.”

“Oh? You’re making regular trips?” Ukitake asked curiously.

When Ukitake held up the bottle, Renji realized that he’d somehow drained his bowl again. Damn it, he didn’t even remember picking it back up! Even so, he greedily held it out to be refilled, “Uh, yeah, sort of. Anyway, there’s this class we’re signed up for this weekend and I’m hoping to talk him into going out again after.”

“Class?” Ukitake asked. 

“Yeah,” Renji said. “At the shop.”

“I think we’re missing some steps, Mr. Renji,” Kyōraku said. Renji noticed his hand had stayed at Ukitake’s back, and Ukitake seemed to be leaning into it comfortably. They were an adorable couple in their own way, Renji thought. Kyōraku tilted his head as though trying to picture something and asked, “Are you two taking some kind of crafting or art class together?”

The drink made Renji burst out with a bark of a laugh and say, “Only if you consider bondage an art form!”

“Well, certain types of knotting can be very complicated,” Ukitake noted, completely unfazed. “And, of course, kinbaku is incredibly beautiful when done well.” 

“Is our Mr.Byakuya training to become a nawashi... or, perhaps more accurately, a bakushi?” Kyōraku wanted to know with sudden and intense interest. One hand covered his chest as if to slow the beating of his heart. “Please tell me this is so!”

Renji raised his hands as though in surrender. “I don’t know. We’re just going for ‘Bondage 101.’”

“Yes, good plan,” Ukitake said with an enthusiastic nod. To Kyōraku, he said, “As amazing as the thought of a bakushi in our ranks might be, let’s not rush the boys. Let them learn the basics. An inconsiderate bakushi would be frightening and not at all sexy.”

“Yes, yes, excellent point,” Kyōraku nodded, but his clear his mind was elsewhere... somewhere very distracting. Renji was going to have to look up ‘kinbaku’ as soon as he got near a library.

“And what of... the little incident in the Human World?” Ukitake asked. “Are you at all worried that going back so soon, you may lose Byakuya to his reincarnated wife?”

That thought sobered Renji. He frowned, considering. “I can’t really control any of that. I sure as shit can’t get in the way. My only hope is that Urahara is smart and is hiding her somewhere far, far way.”

Kyōraku surprised them all by letting out one of his deep belly laughs. At their expressions, he explained, “I believe, gentlemen, one thing we can _always_ count on, is Mr. Urahara being ‘smart.’ I didn’t realize he’d been involved. We should have significantly less worries now.”

“Or more,” Ukitake muttered, as though to himself.

“Yes, indeed,” Kyōraku agreed jovially, “Or more. But, as Mr. Renji says, it’s out of our hands, and, if Mr. Urahara is involved, the game is suddenly being played at a much higher level. Let’s leave it to him, shall we?”

“You’re far too trusting of that man sometimes, I fear,” Ukitake said, and then as though suddenly remembering they weren’t alone, turned to Renji. “Ah, but I’m so terribly pleased to hear that Byakuya is willing to take lessons in love, as it were. It’s a huge relief, honestly.”

Renji was surprised to hear that, “Really? How come?” 

Ukitake’s ears pinked as he busied himself with arranging bottles and bowls, “I was just… a bit worried when we heard that Byakuya leaned toward the… rougher sport.”

Kyōraku seemed delighted by his partner’s embarrassment, but kindly took over, “You see, the thing you must know about my Jūshirō is that he tends to judge a person’s abilities in the bedroom by their demeanor in the battlefield.” Kyōraku put a hand on his chest, “As it happens, I’m playful in both. However, you can see why we might be concerned about Mr. Byakuya. Cold ruthlessness is a fine quality in a warrior, but not necessarily what you might wish in a lover.”

“He barely thinks of himself in the field,” Ukitake said, his voice almost a whisper. He seemed to shiver at the thought. "Merciless."

Renji nodded. Byakuya was a formidable opponent. But, when Renji realized they were both watching him with wide eyes, he added, “But he’s not really like that in bed. I mean, yeah, there’s all that control stuff, but I figure that’s just so he can feel that it’s okay to let go. And it don't get no sexier than Byakuya all passionate and sweaty and….” Renji blinked. What was his mouth doing, going on without him?! “Oh shit, I didn’t say any of that, okay? You didn’t hear it from me!”

Kyōraku chuckled. “Your secrets are safe with me,” he said with a smile that seemed a little sly to Renji. Kyōraku tipped back the remains of his sake, and added, “And, anyway, you have no idea what a comfort it is to hear. I think Jūshirō may have been planning an intervention should things have proved differently.”

A cool voice behind Renji made him jump: “An intervention? Indeed. To what end, may I ask?” 

Byakuya stood in the doorway, just politely on the other side of the threshold, but if looks could kill, Renji was pretty sure Kyōraku would have been struck dead on the spot.

Renji scrambled to his feet guilty, “Taicho!”

Kyōraku, on the other hand, was completely undaunted by Byakuya’s icy glare. “Ah, speak of the devil! I must say, Mr. Byakuya, that legendary shunpō of yours certainly lives up to its reputation! A very sneaky, very dramatic entrance! Bravo! Now, come in, join us! Don’t stand there on ceremony. Your lieutenant certainly can’t, which I’m afraid is entirely my fault. We’ve nearly killed a bottle of my brother’s finest.”

A firm, strong grip on Renji’s elbow steadied him. Byakuya’s eyes met his and Byakuya's tone was as sharp as his glance, “Yes, you should probably sit, Renji, before you fall down.”

_Oh fuck. He was in so much trouble._

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for the cliffhanger, but I was having such fun with Shunsui and Juushirou that I kind of lost track of how long this was getting. And, the addition of Byakuya seems like fun, extra tension, what with how sloshed Renji actually is....


End file.
